Symposium on Women, Gender, and Constitutionalism in South Asia

Experiences of South Asian women as well as sexual and gender minorities are inevitably enmeshed with the challenges common to the region. These challenges of continuing legacies of colonialism, ethnoreligious nationalism, authoritarianism, inequality, poverty, and corruption shape the constitutional jurisprudence of the South Asian countries. As the most populous region in the world, South Asia is rich in ethnic, religious, and linguistic diversity. In this context, neither women nor sexual and gender minorities are a monolith. The multiple disadvantages facing these groups based on sex, gender, ethnicity, caste, class, religion, and languages pose distinct challenges for constitutional jurisprudence in these countries. Therefore, the study of women, gender, and constitutionalism in South Asia is both significant and interesting. 

‘Gender constitutionalism’ and ‘feminist constitutionalism’ explore how constitutional law promotes (or hinders) the interests of women and sexual and gender minorities. In this symposium, we invite the speakers to reflect on how constitutional structures and Bills of Rights have responded to the concerns of women, sexual and gender minorities in South Asia. This symposium will consist of two panels. The first panel will discuss India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The second panel will focus on Nepal and Sri Lanka. 

First Panel (moderated by Mihika Poddar) (2 PM – 3.45 PM British Summer Time) 

1. India: Prof Alisha Dhingra, University of Delhi 

2. Pakistan: Prof. Marva Khan Cheema, LUMS 

3. Bangladesh: Ms. Psymhe Wadud, University of Dhaka 

Discussant: Dr. Rupavardhini Balakrishnan Raju, University College London 

Second Panel (moderated by Binendri Perera) (4.00 PM – 5.15 PM British Summer Time) 

1. Nepal: Prof Mara Malagodi, University of Warwick 

2. Sri Lanka: Prof Dinesha Samararatne, University of Colombo 

Discussant: Prof Barbara Havelkova, University of Oxford

For the online participants, 

Microsoft Teams 

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 384 712 398 248 70

Passcode: Mq9ZL7Qm

6.30 PM – 9.45 PM (India Standard Time, Sri Lanka Time), 6.00 PM – 9.15 PM (Pakistan Time), 7.00 PM – 10.15 PM (Bangladesh Time), 6.45 PM – 10.00 PM (Nepal Time).